2017 -- H 6253

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING THE NORTH SMITHFIELD "WE THE PEOPLE" STUDENTS AND

TEAM TEACHERS ON WINNING THE 2017 STATEWIDE COMPETITION

     Introduced By: Representatives Newberry, Morin, Phillips, Winfield, and Keable

     Date Introduced: May 25, 2017

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Thirty-five students from North Smithfield High School, under the expert

guidance of their American Government honors class teacher and Social Studies Department

chair, Mrs. Natalie O'Brien, and teachers Hannah Cevoli and Mark Hickox, won the "We the

People" statewide competition. This was the eleventh consecutive year that the North Smithfield

team won the state competition; and

     WHEREAS, As a result of taking the state title, the team earned the honor of representing

Rhode Island in the National Finals of the "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution

Competition" held on April 21st through the 24th at the National Conference Center in

Washington, D.C.; and

     WHEREAS, "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Competition" is

sponsored by the Center for Civic Education and is an annual competition held in Washington,

D.C., for American high school students. Teams are divided into six units, each comprised of

three or more members, and each team focuses on a particular area of Constitutional interest; and

     WHEREAS, For the competition, members of the North Smithfield teams delivered

prepared statements on a specific Constitutional topic and answered a series of questions asked by

an esteemed panel of judges. Prior to the competition, the teams prepared for a wide variety of

potential follow-up questions, as they were not allowed to use any materials during the

competition, and were not forewarned of what questions would be posed until they were asked.

The format of the competition requires students to develop the important skills of critical thinking

and performing under pressure; and

     WHEREAS, During the 30th Annual We the People National Finals, before a packed

audience and a panoply of prestigious state and local officials serving as judges, this year's North

Smithfield team units demonstrated their amazing determination, scholarship and teamwork and

have eminently earned our utmost praise and recognition; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby extends our congratulations for winning the 2017 Rhode Island

"We the People" Competition to the team's coaches, Mrs. Natalie O'Brien, Hannah Cevoli, and

Mark Hickox, and team members, Maxwell Bischoff, Alexia Brandao, Alexandra Boutelle, Kayla

Butler, Andrew Cabral, Nicole Connell, Ethan Corriveau, Elizabeth Dagesse, Matthew DiNezza,

Cole Dubois, Erica Enright, Michael Ethier, Melody Fontaine, Thomas Fura, James Hanlon, Ian

Hartley, Jackson Laferriere, Nathan Lamoureux, Kate Lapierre, Kristiana Lapierre, Noah

Lemoine, Nathan Masi, Samantha Mattos, Quinn Parent, Anthony Parente, Paige Pessia, Madison

Reynolds, Hannah Samek, Rachel Shaw, Megan Skinner, Victoria Thurley, Abigail Votta, Lucas

Whitton, Liam Zonin, and Forrest Zuba. We moreover wish all the team members much success

in all their future endeavors; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mrs. Natalie O'Brien.

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